MyTenSense.com

Just when the Urban Meyer/Shane Matthews riff started to cool down after a private consolatory meeting this week between the Gators coach and former Gators quarterback, some media representatives are trying to twist Steve Spurrier’s words into the mix.
Yes, Spurrier was on a popular Alabama radio show in which the University of Florida playing and coaching legend voluntarily blurted out that Meyer may leave Gainesville for his “dream job” at Notre Dame if he wins his third national championship in four seasons at Florida.
But let’s not twist this into a controversy. Spurrier was not trying to demonize Meyer, who has produced more national championships than when Spurrier roamed the Gators’ sidelines.
Spurrier was just being Spurrier, speaking off the cuff about whatever is on his mind regardless of possible backlash. But he wasn’t trying to interject himself into the controversy over whether Meyer has the right to ordain who’s a Gator and who isn’t.
The Ol’ Ball Coach was just letting his tongue fly like the good old days when he taunted Tennessee and Georgia fans to lead the Gators to numerous SEC championships and one national title.
What’s lost in the process of trying to pit Spurrier against Meyer is that Spurrier, who is now coach of South Carolina, actually complimented his UF replacement, saying Meyer is “no question one of the best coaches in the country.”
And of course being Spurrier, he mentioned the rumor that Meyer may leave for Notre Dame after “one more big year”. But it’s rarely been reported that Spurrier added that Meyer may just stay in Gainesville. After all, Meyer chose UF over Notre Dame after leading Utah to an undefeated season in 2004.
“It’d be surprising if he left, but who knows?” Spurrier said. “He’s accomplished so much. I mean, I left after 12 years because I just said, ‘Hey, I’ve done enough. Try something else.’ He may get to the point where he needs to try something else. Who knows?”
Spurrier didn’t mean any harm. He just understands that successful coaches are always looking for a challenge, and if Meyer brings a third national championship in four years to the Gators, he could possibly seek the challenge of resurrecting Notre Dame’s program, which has been rumored to be Meyer’s dream job.
“Maybe it was his dream job and not anymore,” Spurrier said. “I don’t know.”
Spurrier wasn’t trying to stoke the flames of a tired story about a misunderstanding between Meyer and Matthews. In fact, Spurrier said both are right. Shane can have an opinion, but “you still have to be behind your team,” said Spurrier.
Spurrier was just being Spurrier, not being afraid to say what other people are thinking. And that’s why Gator fans still love The Ol’ Ball Coach even if Meyer has more national title trophies.

By Teneshia LaFaye
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University of Florida football coach Urban Meyer has every right to ban any former Gators players who publicly criticize his players and coaching staff from having inside access to the team.
He is trying to protect his Gator Nation family while continuing to build a college football dynasty.
Former Gators quarterback Shane Matthews is like that uncle whose sarcasm and sharp criticism puts a damper on family reunions.
Matthews has used his Gainesville sports radio show to criticize Heisman Trophy quarterback Tim Tebow and the Gators’ coaching strategy, and it has been speculated that he tried to steer UF backup quarterback and former Ocala Trinity Catholic star John Brantley away from the Gators because Matthews doesn’t like the way Meyers’ coaches develop quarterbacks. Brantley initially committed to Texas out of high school, but of course ended up in Gainesville, where his father was a UF quarterback in the 1970s. In fact, it’s been reported that Meyer’s wife, Shelley, once told Matthews to back off to keep him from damaging the Gators’ recruiting efforts.
Naturally, Matthews has a strong allegiance to the legacy he helped create with former UF ball coach Steve Spurrier. He was Spurrier’s quarterback when the Gators used to air it out and run up basketball scores for the first of many SEC championships.
So Matthews was especially critical of the Gators’ offense after the 31-30 loss to Ole Miss, UF’s only defeat last year en route to the program’s second national title in three years.
“From an offensive standpoint, you want to attack no matter what offense you’re running,” Matthews said. “No matter what defense is thrown at you, there is always a weakness. The offense’s job is to exploit that weakness. When I watched the Ole Miss game and Ole Miss played our wide receivers about 90 percent man-to-man, it was a slap in the face to our wide receivers and passing game. I can’t understand why we didn’t take advantage of that. … If that’s critical, I guess it’s critical. That’s football. I call ‘em like I see ‘em.”
Some feel Matthews has earned the right to voice his opinion because he is considered a Gator great and he was a quarterback on an NFL roster for 14 seasons. Plus, as a journalist, you must give your objective opinion. You can’t root for the home team.
But Matthews is not a journalist, and he made those comments as a guest on someone else’s talk radio show and often uses his own show to criticize the Gators. Why not just save his comments during a private meeting with Meyer?
Matthews has the access because Meyer has opened his doors to former Gators players to watch game film, mingle with the team, and in Matthews’ case, help at quarterback clinics. And Matthews should use that access to privately talk to Meyer and coaches about his conflicts with their strategies rather than being critical on the radio. But instead, Matthews unapologetically has used his knowledge to criticize Tebow and the Gators’ coaches.
“He’s a tremendous football player, but he’s not mechanically sound as a quarterback,” Mathews said of Tebow. “I don’t know why that it is. I don’t know if he doesn’t get the coaching for it. … I don’t know if they’re trying to make him a pocket passer or what. It’s hard to make someone a pocket passer. You either have a feel for it or you don’t. What Tim does so well is make plays on the run. That’s what he does best. That’s why he was so successful last year. Mechanically, he’s not what you want in a quarterback, but the guy wins football games and gets it done. Let him be who he is.”
Again, why not just say that directly to Meyer and Tebow. If Matthews is going to address his concerns in public, he shouldn’t have inside access to the team. Like Meyer said you’re either with us or against us.
“I’m also going to talk about loyalty with our former athletes. Some are welcome, some aren’t,” Meyer recently said at a Gators booster meeting in Orlando. “We want former Gators to come back, but loyalty’s a two-way street. If you want to be critical of a player on our team or a coach on our team you can buy a ticket for seat 37F, you’re not welcome back in the football office. For those who are not Gators keep buying tickets, critique, but if you’re a real Gator, get to know our players. Let’s enjoy the greatest era not just football of Gator athletics.”
As an extended member of Edgerrin James’ family, I have inside access to the NFL Pro Bowl tailback, but I’m sure I wouldn’t get any more free tickets to his games and invitations to his family gatherings if I used my blog to criticize him.
Would you let a critical family member back into your house if that person went out and criticized Junior’s table manners and disparaged your spouse’s cooking?
This is Meyer’s dilemma with Matthews.

By Teneshia LaFaye
Follow me on Twitter: www.twitter.com/teneshialafaye
Add me on Myspace: www.myspace.com/tlafaye